NEW YORK (D1 Public Affairs) -A 637-foot cruise ship carrying approximately 1,200 passengers and crew is being detained in New York Harbor after a routine safety inspection revealed significant hull damage and numerous discrepancies today.
A six-person examination team from Coast Guard Sector New York boarded the cruise ship Clipper Pacific, home ported in the Bahamas, at 8 a.m. Sunday to conduct a routine safety inspection and found that the vessel had significant hull damage prior to coming to New York Harbor and was leaking. Further investigation by the Coast Guard team identified 66 discrepancies such as fire safety, lifeboat damages and life jacket issues on the vessel during an inspection that lasted from Sunday morning to Tuesday evening.
Divers from Randive Incorporated, a Commercial diving company from Perth Amboy, N.J., assessed the ship’s damage from the water and conducted additional temporary repairs Sunday from 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and on Monday from 5:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Representatives from the Bahama Flag Administration and the Bureau Veritas Classification Society were onboard throughout the inspection.
Coast Guard Sector New York issued a Captain of the Port order on Sunday because of the ship’s hull damages. The ship was declared detained after the examination concluded at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday and will remain in this status until the master can provide a repair proposal and can make necessary repairs that directly impact the ships passengers and crew.
The repair proposal will be reviewed and approved by the Coast Guard and the vessel’s classification society.
The cruise ship was inbound from Greenland when it was stopped by the Coast Guard.